Demographic and Socioeconomic Determinants of Female Rural to Urban Migration in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

Data from eight recent Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) in sub-Saharan Africa are used to assess whether fertility, child mortality and other individual-level characteristics motivate or constrain long-term female migration from rural to urban and other rural areas. Findings indicate that the likelihood of rural-urban and rural-rural migration is lowered in most countries when the woman has had two or more recent births, but not when she has had only one birth. Child mortality experience moderately reduces the risk of migration in most countries. The likelihood of rural-urban migration is greatly increased when the woman has attended school, is not married, is in her twenties, or does not belong to the largest ethnic group.